Apparatus for treating foods



P. E. MmRsl-{ALLv APPARATUS FOR TREATING FOODS Aug. 17, 1948.

Filed March 19. 1945 AT ToRNEys ramas Aug. Vr1, 194s i UNITED s'rArEs l .4\'uri-l:N'r4 oFricE MWM MQS Application Maren 1s, 1945, serial No. 3,451

This invention relates to apparatus for treating foods to prevent oxidation and spoilage thereof. j One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide improved apparatus for introducing without spoilage.

The above as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds. especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing. wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a food press showing an injector of the type forming the subject matter of this invention in assembled relation therewith:

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the injectors: and

Figure 3 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, it will be noted that Figure 1 illustrates a press I0 having a vertical chamber l I adapted to contain a quantity of food l2 and having the lower end closed by an ejector punch I3. A punch or platen il is supported above the chamber il for movement by any suitable mechanism (not shown)- into the chamber Il through the upper end of the latter. As the platen Il moves downwardly in the chamber il. the food I2 is compressed in the chamber against the top surface of the ejector punch i3' to form a cake or block of compressed food indicated generally in Figure 1 by the reference character I5. After the food is compressed and the platen VI4 is raised out oi the chamber il, the ejector punch I3 is moved upwardly by any suitable mechanism (not showin' to discharge the compressed block of food through the upper end ci thel chamber. The block or cake l5 of compressed food may thenbe wrapped or otherwise packaged for shipment. 1

In order to enable storage of the compressed food for an yappreciable length of time without the danger of spoilage of the food, provision is made herein for introducing into the chamber H a. gaseous medium characterized in that it greatly.

retards or delays oxidation of the iood. Parz cnam. (ci. eis-ass) t'icularly satisfactory results have been obtained by dispersing an inert gas such, for example, as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or gases having similar inactive characteristics. In actual lpractice the gas is introduced into the chamber il before the food l2 is compressed in the latter. As a result the gas particlesare locked into the compressed cake or block of food I5 and serve to ll any voids in this block.v Inasmuch as oxygen mol-'- ecules do not readily attach themselves to the particles of the gaseous medium dispersed in the food, it lfollows that oxidation of the foodis prevented or at least greatly retarded so that the food may be stored for long periods of time without danger of spoilage. l As shown particularly in Figure 3 of the drawing,the inert gaseous medium is introduced intoV the chamber, I'I by an ejector I6. The injector IB shown in Figure 3 of the drawingcomprises a body Il having an axial-ly bored cylindrical portjion land having a. radial ilange i9 at the rear end of the portion I3. The cylindrical portion i8' is sleeved in a bore or opening 20 formed in the sidewall 2i of the amber lIl and an annular gasket 22 is positioned between the outer surface of the wall 2i and the adjacent side of the 'radial ange i9.

A cylindrical cap 23 is positioned at the rear Vside of the body i7 and is provided with a radial ange 2l. In the assembled relationship of the parts, the iiange 24 assumes a position adjacent the radial flange I9' and an annular sealing gasket 2 is positioned between the iianges. The radial l il ges are clamped together and to'the side wall 2! o! the chamber Il by means of a plurality of circumferentially spaced screws 26." i .'The cap 23 is provided with a compartment 21 in* alignment with the bore through the cylindrical portion I8 of the body Il and this iompartment` 40 communicates with a source 28 of inert gas under pressure through the medium of a valve 29. The valve 29 is operated by any suitable means (not shown) to periodically discharge a quantity of insert gas under pressure into the compartment 21. The ow of gas from the compartment 21 to vtheinterior of the chamber Il is controlled by a plunger I0 supported for sliding movement in the bore formed in the cylindrical portion i8 of the body Il and having a head 3|A which occupies a A 'position inthe bore 20 in advance of the cylindrical portion Il. The front face 32 ofthe head 3i on the plunger Il is normally maintained ush lwith the inner surface of the wall 2| by a spring vIl and an adjustable stop ll.

' 55 ,f The adjustable stop Il is in the form of a l:screw which is threaded in the emi` wall 3l o'fthe cap 23 and the forward end of the screw projects into the compartment 2l to provide an abutment for the adjacent end of the plunger 33. The rear end o! the screw is formed with a head 33 slotted as at 31 to enable manipulation o! the screw and is normally held in any one of its various adjusted positions by means of a lock nut ,33. The spring 33 surrounds the end oi the plunger 33 in the compartment 2'Land the front end of the spring abuts the adjacent wall of the body I'L 'I'he rear end-of the spring engages an abutment 39 which is secured to the plunger 33 and thereby maintains the outer end oi' the plunger in contact .with the adjacent end of the adjustable screw 34. The screw 34 is adjusted to insure maintainingthe head 3| of the plunger with its front face 32 ilush with the inner surface of the wall 2| so that the plunger does not interfere with the movement of the platen I4 previously discussed.

' The plunger 39 is formed with a longitudinal passage 40 which communicates with a compartf ment 21 through ports 4| and-which also'communicates with a transverse passage 42 extending through the head 3| of the plunger. As shown in Figure 3 the transverse passage A42 communicates with the space 43 formed by adjacent surv 'faces of the body portion It and head 3| of the plunger by means ofpassages 44.

Referring now to the operation of the injector i3, it is to be understood that the valve 291s operated to supply a charge of inert gas under pressure to the compartment 21 before the platen |4 is moved'downwardly in the chamber to compress the food in the latter chamber. The inert gas discharged into the chamber 2l enters the passage4ll through the ports 4I and ilows into the transverse passage 42. From the transverse passage 42 thev inert gas under pressure ilows linto the space 43 through the passages 44 and acts on the head 3l oi' the plunger 33 to move the latter into the chamber H. Movement of the head 3| o( the plunger into the chamber connects 'the passage 42 with Athe interior of the chamber through ports 46 which form extensions of opposite ends of the transverse passage 42. As a result, the inert gas is dispersed in the loose. food material contained in the chamber Il and the pressure 'in the space 43 is accordingly reduced. This reduction in pressure in thespace 43 enables `the spring `33 to return the plunger 30 to the position shown 'in Figure 3, whereinthe face 32 on the head 3| of the plunger is ilush with the inner surface of the wall 2|. to compressv the food material |2 with the inert gas to forni' the cake or block l5. After the platen I4 is'raised and the compressed block I5 is ejected from' the chamber H, another supply of foodmaterial is introduced into the chamber through the upper end o! the latter and the valve 29 is again operated in the same manner previously described to inject a charge of inert gas into the chamber.

If desired, means may be provided for indicatdrawn from the chamber Il so that there will be no danger of operating the platen I4 while the head 3| of the plunger 33 is in the path of travel Vof the platen. This may be accomplished by employing an electric circuit I indicated in Figure 1 -as having one side connected to the press l0 and as having the other side 3| connected to the ad-A The platen |4 may then be lowered ing to the operator when the plunger 39 is with-` 4 justablescreworabutment 34. Avisualaignal intheiormofa lamp 321s connectedintheside Il ofthecircuit Ilsoastobeilluminatedwhen the circuit 1s closed. when using this electric Signalling system, the annular gasket 22 is formed of a dielectric material so as to insulate the screw or abutment 34 from the wall 2| of the press. also sleeves 53 of dielectric material are provided for the fastener elements 23 so that the latter 'will also be insulated. from the cap' 2 3 or screw 34. 'I'hus the circuit 5I is closed by engagement or the plunger 33 with the adjustable abutment -34 and the lamp 52 is illuminated to indicate Athat chamber.

the head 3| of the plunger is out of the compression chamber l. Y What I claim as my invention is:

l. Apparatus for treating foods comprising a 'chamberadapted to contain the food to be treated and having an opening in one wall, an injector having a bod'y portion projecting into the opening .and having a compartment adapted to periodically receive a quantity of inert gas under pressure, a.

plunger slidably supported in the body and having 'a head supported in the opening lx1-advance of the adjacent end of the body portion, a longitudinal passage extending through the plunger and having one end communicating with the compartment, a transverse passage in the head for "connecting the longitudinal passage to the space between the body portion and head, whereby the gas under pressure discharged into the space between the body and head of the plunger acts on said head to movethe latter into the chamber, ports in the head for connecting the passages to the interior of the chamber, and spring means acting on the plunger for returning the latter upon a drop in the gas pressure in said compartment.

f 2. Apparatus for treating foods' comprising' a chamber adapted to contain the food to be treated, an injector having a compartment adapted to periodically receive `qiuintlties of inert gas under pressure 'and having a slidable plunger 'provided with a passage communicating with said compartment, a head on the plunger movable 'Ii-nto the chamber in response to the pressure of the inert gas to connect the passage with the chamber and thereby inject the quantity of inert gas in the compartment into said chamber. spring means acting on the plunger for moving the head of the latter out of the chamber upon a drop in pressure in said compartment, and a signal operated by the plunger in its return movement to a position wherein the head is retacted from the PREs'I'nNY E. iaARsHALL.

REFnaENoEs orrnn f The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATESYPATENTS Number Name Date 60,462 Bartholomew Dec. 18, 188B 966,514 Baker v.- Aug. 9, 1919 982,671 Hardy Jan. 24, 1911 1,168,695 Young Jan. 18, 1916 1,591,932 Young July 7, 1928 1,671,118 Mabee May 29, 1928 2,096,581 Goldberg Oct. 19. 193? 2,107,891 Gillen Feb. 8, 1938 2,244,894 Halltzenrder Jllne 3, 1941 

